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Markbass Mini CMD 121P - simplest of upgrades


alanbass1
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I kinda wish I remembered to try this out before selling this combo on, the main reason I sold it was because I didn't like how it sounded with fuzz. So got an Orange AD200B and Matamp 2x12 for a bit instead, until I got sick of carrying it!

I've avoided tweetered cabs ever since, although I know that tweeter was just a bad example. I really like the horn in the Orange OBC410 for example.

The thing is most cabs would probably sound better with full range going to the main speaker so it can at least output something in the 5kHz region. Am I right in thinking that in the majority of cabs that have a crossover and tweeter, if you turn the tweeter off, the crossover is still active at 2-4kHz on the woofer, making it sound darker than if the woofer was just hooked up directly?

Edited by dannybuoy
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[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1413626406' post='2580247']
I kinda wish I remembered to try this out before selling this combo on, the main reason I sold it was because I didn't like how it sounded with fuzz. So got an Orange AD200B and Matamp 2x12 for a bit instead, until I got sick of carrying it!

I've avoided tweetered cabs ever since, although I know that tweeter was just a bad example. I really like the horn in the Orange OBC410 for example.

The thing is most cabs would probably sound better with full range going to the main speaker so it can at least output something in the 5kHz region. Am I right in thinking that in the majority of cabs that have a crossover and tweeter, if you turn the tweeter off, the crossover is still active at 2-4kHz on the woofer, making it sound darker than if the woofer was just hooked up directly?
[/quote]

I've just disconnected the Piezo Tweeter on my CMD121P by taking the spade terminal connectors off the crossover. I like the sound, but I am now thinking of going back in to check if I can connect woofer direct from amp by taking the crossover out of circuit.

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  • 5 weeks later...

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1416850309' post='2614274']
Presumably this doesn't affect the parallel inputs on the back of the NY121? I use two linked, so need them to keep hooking up!

Also, it looks like taking the handle off the top of the cabs might be the easiest way to get into them. Should be less fiddly than removing grille and speaker... don't know if that applies to the combos though.
[/quote]

No, the combos have a simple metal strip covered in rubber type of handle, screwed into the top, so you need to go from the front on the combos

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  • 1 month later...

Just done this on my CMD121p and agree with everyone that it is quite a noticeable improvement, and a simple and easily reversible upgrade. It make the amp very smooth and totally gets rid of any hiss that it used to produce. Makes you wonder why the tweeter is in there when the 12 inch sounds so good by itself, I've not played it like this at rehersal volume yet but that will come next week!

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I didn't do any cutting. As this is a vented cab combo I wasn't concerned that the new tweeter didn't sit perfectly flush in the hole as the four fixing screws hold it in position with a slight gap. This allows me to refit the original later if I want to sell. For approx £13 from CPC.CO.UK I think it is well worth trying to see the difference.

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  • 2 years later...

Hey guys! I'm afraid I'm gonna have to revive this old topic.

So....Opened up my Mini CMD 121P combo and following the instructions on the original post managed to completely bypass the dreadful twitter. Water to wine! It's a way better sounding combo now and it really puzzles me why they just don't offer it like this as standard.

Anyway... Now I wanna do the same to my NY 121 cab. I took the speaker out and had a look inside but it seems a bit more complicated with the L-pad and all that. Has anyone done this too? Please help!

Edited by eddiehoffmann
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[quote name='eddiehoffmann' timestamp='1491394377' post='3272658']
So....Opened up my Mini CMD 121P combo and following the instructions on the original post managed to completely bypass the dreadful twitter. Water to wine! It's a way better sounding combo now and it really puzzles me why they just don't offer it like this as standard.
[/quote]

Wasn't there a Jeff Berlin model of the same combo which didn't have a tweeter?

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[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1491397357' post='3272694']


Wasn't there a Jeff Berlin model of the same combo which didn't have a tweeter?
[/quote]

Sort of... The Jeff Berlin is a 1x15 combo. I played through the JB Players School version of his signature combo (cheaper, 250 watt version) and it sounds great. No tweeter also.

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[quote name='eddiehoffmann' timestamp='1491394377' post='3272658']

Anyway... Now I wanna do the same to my NY 121 cab. I took the speaker out and had a look inside but it seems a bit more complicated with the L-pad and all that. Has anyone done this too? Please help!
[/quote]

I also did the first mod as soon as I got the combo, but with the NY121 I just turn the L Pad down to be honest. I don't think taking it out of the loop will do a lot more than this really and you retain the flexibility to dial it back in at a later date. If the combo had a L Pad I don't think we'd be talking on here about disconnecting it!

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[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1491398760' post='3272713']


I also did the first mod as soon as I got the combo, but with the NY121 I just turn the L Pad down to be honest. I don't think taking it out of the loop will do a lot more than this really and you retain the flexibility to dial it back in at a later date. If the combo had a L Pad I don't think we'd be talking on here about disconnecting it!
[/quote]

Unfortunately that's not the case. Even with the L-pad turned all the way down there's still a little bit of signal coming through the twitter. I can still hear its annoying noise and I can tell there's a little bit of signal being reproduced. Specially with fuzz. Fuzz and twitters are a match made in hell by satan himself.

Edited by eddiehoffmann
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Also, if just turning the pad down on the tweeter, I assume you would still have a crossover in place that you might want to eliminate?

Say for example (this is purely hypothetical) there is a crossover sending everything above 2kHz to the tweeter and everything below to the woofer. However the woofer might actually be capable of going up to 3kHz quite comfortably. If this was the case then removing the entire crossover network and hooking up the main speaker direct would give you a tad more brightness.

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[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1491405460' post='3272788']
Also, if just turning the pad down on the tweeter, I assume you would still have a crossover in place that you might want to eliminate?

Say for example (this is purely hypothetical) there is a crossover sending everything above 2kHz to the tweeter and everything below to the woofer. However the woofer might actually be capable of going up to 3kHz quite comfortably. If this was the case then removing the entire crossover network and hooking up the main speaker direct would give you a tad more brightness.
[/quote]

That's exactly what I want to achieve. The combo sounds awesome with the speaker getting the full range from the amp. Even a slight boominess I always associated with Markbass seems now to be tamed. Can't emphasise enough how much better the combo sounds without the tweeter and the crossover getting in the way.

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